Jo Anne McKnight: Dauphin Island Parkway Cleanup is Nov. 17

A Parkway Cleanup, sponsored by B.C. Rain High School, Palmer Pillans Middle School and Keep Mobile Beautiful, is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 17. Those interested in making Dauphin Island Parkway clean and beautiful are asked to meet in the Rain High parking lot at 8 a.m. Supplies and water will be provided.

Theodore United Methodist Senior Shepherds will meet in the Family Life Center at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13. The guest speaker will be Bill Tunnel, whose topic will be the USS Alabama Park; a tribute to the veterans will be given. The menu will be fried chicken, side dishes and desserts.Also, President Doris Pearson said that the group will go to the Grand Hotel for their Christmas Luncheon on Dec. 11. The cost of the meal is $23 and reservations are required. For information, call Pearson at 251-653-7258.

The Dauphin Island Veterans Association will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at the Memorial Wall on Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. At the ceremony, the group will add a plaque to the Wall in honor of Kermit L. Collier Sr., U.S. Army veteran and World War II POW survivor.

A great place to pick up a unique Christmas gift for family and friends is to visit the antique show and sale at the Grand Bay-St. Elmo Community and Senior Center on Nov. 16, 7 or 18. A bake sale will be featured as well. Call 251-865-2887 or 251-490-8288 for information.

Meetings

The Fowl River Area Civic Association will meet Thursday, Nov. 15, at the Community House, 5401 Fowl River Road. A potluck dinner will be served at 6 p.m. with a business meeting to follow at 6:45 p.m. The program will include a report for the Mobile County Sheriff's department, as well as a presentation on the "Yellow Dot" program, said Ray Mayhall, 251-973-2653. All citizens are welcome to attend the meeting, he said.

The Bayside Book Club meets Thursday, Nov. 15, at the Parkway Branch Library in Fulbrook Shopping Center on Dauphin Island Parkway. The book to be read for discussion is “Somebody Told Me” by Rick Bragg. For information, call Betty Fowler, 251-476-2600.

The Belle Fontaine Garden Club will meet Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 10 a.m. at Fowl River Community House, 5401 Fowl River Road. The program will consist of a presentation, “herbs for the holidays” with Annette Daugherty of the Gulf Coast Herb Society. Lunch will be served after the program. Members are reminded to bring cash or donations to be raffled, said Sara Jim Satterwhite, who can be reached at 251-455-1331 for information.

The Parkway SAIL Senior Center will be closed Monday, Nov. 12 for Veterans Day. On Wednesday, Nov. 14, seniors can enjoy a movie and popcorn. Call 251-471-2503 for information on activities at the senior center.

Coming up

Several community Thanksgiving Services are planned in south Mobile County, including:

New Hope United Methodist Church, 5343 Fowl River Road in Theodore will host a Joint Service for the United Methodist Churches in the area on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. The public is invited. For information, call 251-973-2285.

The Grand Bay Community Thanksgiving service is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Grand Bay, 10460 Potter Tract Road. For information, call 251-865-6870.

On Friday, Nov. 23, the day after Thanksgiving, Magic Christmas in Lights will be launched at Bellingrath Gardens and Home, 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Road in Theodore. For information on this spectacular show, call 251-973-2217.

School news

This year's Red Ribbon Leadership Award Winner at Castlen Elementary School in Grand Bay is Jada Deakle. Jada has all the qualifications to fill her position, according to information from her school: She has the ability and the enthusiasm to take on any challenge that she is given. She has earned the respect of students and teachers alike. She excels in both academics and conduct, is generous and kind and often goes out of her way to help teachers and students at Castlen. She is respectful to adults, follows the school rules and is an excellent role model for the younger students.Other nominees for RR Representative were Bryniah Allen, Logan Burch, Grand Collier, Jordan Davis, Suttree DeLorge, Trinity Hamilton, Kamryn Krause, John Michael Ladnier, Dustin Lewis, Lauren Montgomery, Joseph Pate, Dawson Roberts, Kaitlin Simmons, Maegen Stauter, Garrett Stone, Hayley Vaughn and Hannah Williams.

At Nan Gray Davis Elementary School, two students, Indyra Johnson and Adair DeWitt, are the proud new owners of bikes they won for school attendance during the school’s AYP attendance period.

Athan Beasley of Burroughs Elementary School joined his mom, Kim, and 15 other volunteers to pick up litter at the Keep Mobile Beautiful Cypress Shores Community Cleanup. Athan, said KMB Outreach Education director Phyllis Wingard, might have been the youngest volunteer, but what he lacked in age, he made up for in hard work and enthusiasm. “He was a very polite, hard-working young man,” Wingard said.